Jar-cap sealer.



7 N0. 672,37l. V Patented Apr. l6, 190i.

W. L. INGRAM.

JAB CAP SEALER.

(Apphcatlon flied Jan. 16 1901 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES WVILLIAM L. INGRAM, OF WILDERVILLE, OREGON.

JAR-"CAP SEALER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 672,371, dated April16, 1901.

Application filed January 16, 1901. Serial No. 48,517. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilderville, in the county of Josephine and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jar-Cap Sealers;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for more effectuallysealing the tops or caps of jars, and is especially adapted for use inconnection with that type of jar generally known as the Mason fruit-jar.

It is a well-known fact that when a jar provided with a screw cap or tophas been sealed for a long time the cap or top becomes so closely stuckto the jar that it often becomes necessary to insert a knife or otherimplement beneath the cap and pry the same up before the cap or top canbe unscrewed, thus crimping or curling up the edge of the cap or top.Again, when the top or cap is originally put on the jar it is screweddown so tightly that its projecting lip is bent upward. In either casewhen the cap or top is again to be used in connection with the same orother jars it is usually found that it cannot be screwed down astightlyto the jars as originally, owing to the fact that the projecting lipdoes not fit down so closely on the jar, which results in the admissionof air to the jar and a consequent tendency of fermentation and oozingout of the ingredients therein. In order to prevent this, I haveprovided a device whereby the cap or top may be the more perfectlysealed on the jar by pressing operative position, and Fig. 2 is a planview of the sealing device detached from its support.

To a table or other suitable support A, I secure the upright B. This maybe done in any desired way; but I prefer the means illustrated in thedrawings, in which the upright B is one member of an angle-iron, theshort end C of which is countersunk in and secured to the table or othersupport.

The sealing device D consists of a flat bar of iron or other metalcurved at one end D to receive the jar-cap in the curved portion, theother end D being shaped in any desired manner to form a suitablehandle. The outer surface of the curved portion D is provided with a lugl3, adapted to be inserted in one of the adjustment-holes 1) provided inthe upright member B of the angleiron B 0, thus affording a means ofadjusting the sealing device to any desired height and adapting the samefor use in connection with any size of jar as, for instance, a pint,quart, or half-gallon jar, as the case maybe. At the point where thehandle portion D and the curved .portion D meet is a shoulder (Z, formedcontinuous with and following the curve of the curved portion D on itsinner face, the outer surface d being straight and lying in a plane atan angle slightly obtuse to the handle portion D This shoulder d isprovided with the inwardly-projecting ledge d forming the sealing edgeof my device. Thus when the jar E, having the cap or iopF screwedthereon, is placed upon the table or support and the lug b of thesealing device is inserted in one of the holes t of the upright B thecurved portion D of the sealing device partially encircles the cap ortop F and the sealing edge (I rests directly upon the projecting lipfofthe jartop or cap, when by pressing down upon the handle of the sealingdevice With one hand and revolving the ar with the other hand the edge0Z presses down on and bends the projecting lip f to conform closelywith the rounded surface of the jar, and thus more effectually seal thejar against the admission of air.

Thus it will be seen that I have invented a simple but efficient meansof sealing the cap or top to the jar after the same has once been used,and

Having thus described my invention and in what manner the same is to beused, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. A jar-sealing device consisting of a handle, a curved body portionadapted to embrace the jar-top, a projecting lug at the extremity ofsaid body portion for engaging the same with an upright support, and aninturned shoulder, at the opposite end of the body portion, having asealing edge.

2. In a jar-top-sealing device, the combination of an upright supportand a sealing device detachably secured thereto, the said sealing devicehaving a curved end for encircling the jar-top and asealing edge adaptedto rest upon and press down the projecting lip of the jar-top forconforming the said lip to the shape of the jar, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a jar-top-sealing device, the combination With an upright supporthaving adjustment-holes, of a sealing device provided at one end With acurved portion for encircling the jar-top, and at its other end formedinto a handle, a lug formed integral with the outer surface of thecurved portion adapted to be inserted in the adj ustrnent-holes of theupright support, and a projecting shoulder formed continuous with saidcurved portion, provided with an in wardly-projectingsealing edge forpressing down upon the projecting lip of the jar-top when downwardpressure is exerted upon the handle portion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. INGRAM.

